More so than in any other Asian country the liberal use of fresh herbs is a prominent feature in just about every dish in Vietnam. Among the many fresh herbs used are treasures unique to Vietnam such as rau ram (Vietnamese coriander), rau om, vap ca and ngo gai (culantro), which are now possible grow in the West thanks to the help of companies like Richters. This cookbook features 175 classic recipes using easily available ingredients, including chicken pho, a staple of every Vietnamese kitchen. Pho is ideal for learning the basics -- its charred onion and ginger give the soup its distinctive sweetness while an overlay of coriander seeds and cilantro adds rich flavour. There are also sections on how to obtain required staples such as the fish sauce, the different types of rice, and there is a guide to the herbs.